My Hockey Alpha

Nina

I caught up with the team in the middle of the athletic field. They were stretching for their run. I tried not to look at Enzo as he stretched, because watching his muscular form only made me want him more. Regardless of what Tiffany said about her college love, I still felt hesitant about Enzo with everything that had happened since I met him. Besides, I had to focus on school and work. Now was not the time to be worrying about boys!

The team looked up when I joined them on the athletic field as they stretched. Feeling a bit nervous, I started to stretch, too; most of them seemed P excited that a girl was joining them on their run today — including Justin — but apparently my presence bothered one player. His name was Bryan. “You’re running with us?” he asked, standing up from his stretch.

“I suppose so,” I replied with a sheepish nod.

Bryan frowned and folded his arms across his chest.

“You’re not gonna slow us down, are you? Everyone knows girls can’t run as fast as guys.”

Before I had the chance to respond,

Justin stepped in at the same time and defended me.

“Hey, don’t say that about her!” Justin said, balling his fists up at his sides.

Meanwhile, Enzo simply stormed up to Bryan and glared down at him. Bryan wasn’t a small guy in the slightest, but Enzo still towered over him and made. him look dwarfed.

“How dare you be so rude to our team doctor,” he said, his low voice practically a growl. “Just for that, you can drop and give me fifty push-ups. Right now,”

“Fifty?” Bryan whined.

make it a hundred if

down on the ground to do

us on our run today, speak now,” Enzo said. No one made a peep. ” Alright,” he continued, “let’s go. Bryan, catch up when you’re done. Maybe you can use this time to

the team started running. I bit

a small trail that broke through the trees, which made its way through the forest. There were a lot of these trails all around campus for students to hike on — and while I was a bit nervous that there could be another shifter out in the woods, Enzo didn’t seem terribly worried about it. His strong demeanor gave

their pace, and kept to myself as the guys talked and joked with each other. While I jogged behind them, I couldn’t help but observe Enzo’s form; he ran with an impressive amount of stamina, leading the group, just like how he ran that day on the treadmill. Back then, I had been confused

our way through the forest, running over small hills and jumping over fallen trees. Somehow, although I hadn’t run like this since high school PE class, I eventually found myself running at the front

little bit to match my pace so he could run beside me. “You run like a natural. Did you

on the junior tennis team for one

naturally pretty athletic,” Justin suddenly chimed in, running faster to keep up on my other side. I looked over at him and saw him shoot a competitive glance at Enzo, who merely

feeling a bit uncomfortable now as I was sandwiched between two guys who I

teammates, Matt, called from behind us.

out, stopping. Enzo stopped as well. There was a slight frown on his

you, Nina,” Enzo said with a

I don’t-” I replied, but was suddenly cut

it’ll be fun!” Justin said. “Sort of like old times. Just you and me

but as the rest of the team started chanting for us to race, I felt obligated to give

I conceded, throwing my hands up in

grinned and drew a line in the dirt with his foot, standing behind it poised to run. “From here to that tree,” he said, pointing at a